Stop motion device for knitting machines



April 26, 1960 v. HANZL Em 2,983,909

STOP MOTION DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Sept. 6, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR5 Lunak April 26, 1960 v. HANZL' ET AL STOP MOTION DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 6, 1957 INVENTORS a V. HANZL ET AL STOP MOTION DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES April 26, 1960 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 6, 1957 a WWW f. 1,

llLu-Ill lllll INVENTORS BY Jun 0% fla f April 26, 1960 V.-HANZL E L STOP MOTION DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 6, 1957 INVENTORS vladimlv Hamil H zmk,

April 26, 1960 v. HANZL ET AL 2,933,909

STOP MOTION DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Sept. 6, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS Vladimir Ham-LI, HyneK L I BY EAK April 26, 1960 v. HANZL T L STOP MOTION DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Sept. 6, 1957 United States Patetl't O sror MOTION DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES Application September 6, 1957, Serial No. 682,339

Claims priority, application Czechoslovakia September 7, 1956 Claims. (Cl. 66-157) The present invention relates to a stop motion device for knitting machines, more particularly forcirculan knitting machines for the manufacture of seamless tubu lar goods, which machines are provided with mechanisms for both guarding and opening the needle latches, as well as for thread guarding and with mechanisms acting on the drive of the machine to halt operation of the latter in the event of any trouble occurring in the latches and butts or breaking or running out of the thread. One of the recently developed known stop motion devices for knitting machines employs a plurality of mechanical stop motions which, in the event of a breakdown of the needle latches or butts, brings about a deflection of the respective feeler orpusher, and each of the stop motions acts individually on a mechanical central organ controlling the stop motion mechanism included in the belt pulleys of the machine to effect disengagement from the primary drive shaft and conse- 'quently stoppage of the machine.

A disadvantage of this well, know device consists in that the stoppage of the machine is not instantaneous 2,933,909 Patented Apr. 26, 1960 2 Fig. 4 is a plan view of the device of Fig. 3, with the top covering part removed, and on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken along the plane a-a of Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the electric stop motion device of the needle latches and needle latch opener as viewed in the direction of the arrow S on Fig. 1,

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view showing the arrangement of-the needle latch guards and taken along the plane bb of Fig. 6, but on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view taken along the plane c-c of Fig. 7,

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the guard of the needle'butts and of the central electric breaking device of the machine of Figs. 1 and 2, but on an enlarged scale, and

Fig. 10 is a wiring diagram of the individual stop motion devices connected to the central stop motion device and electric motor of the knitting machine.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and initially to Fig. 6 thereof, it will be seen that the electric guard device A of the needle latches consists of the well known feeler 1 with, a widened fiat end portion 2 adapted for coming into touch with released needle latches 3 within the range of the circulating needles 4. The feeler 1 is adjustably fixed in the head 5 of the vertical and rotatable pivot 6 for lateral swinging movement, in the direction of the arrow on Fig. 6, between an active'position indicated in full lines at I and an inactive position indicated in broken lines at H and a further position not illustrated in the drawing. A housing 7 carrying the pivot 6 and fixedly connected with the stop motionlever owing to the inertia of the. stop motion 'mechanism mounted in the belt pulleys. A'further disadvantage lies in the fact that the disengagement from the primary drive shaft is not reliable, owing to the intricacy of the mechanism provided therefor which is susceptible to frequent breakdowns, and moreover re-engagement with the primary drive shaft is effected by hand and requires a certain amount of skill on the part of the attendant.

It isan object of the present invention to eliminate the above disadvantages of the hithertov known devices, by providing a simpler and more convenient design having individual stop motions and a central disengaging organ which cooperate to safeguard the reliable operation of the machine and which, in case of a needle or yarn defect, bring the knitting machine to a stop in a quarter of a revolution of the machine. i The main feature of a stop motion device embodying the present invention consists in the use of a plurality of electric guard elements acting'individually on a central stop motion organ which, through electromagnetic means, directly controls the drive, for example, the electric motonof the whole machine.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be evident from thefollowing detailed description of an embodiment thereof given by way of exampleand illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

the pivot 25, while 8 is adapted for vertical adjustment inthe direction of its longitudinal axis. A sleeve 9 is attached to housing 7 in-an insulated manner, and has a projection forming an electric contact or terminal 11 for the current conductor 12. A further electric contact 13'is provided on pivot 6 below sleeve 9 and has a projecting portion 14 adapted force-operation with a projecting portion 10 of the electric Contact 11. A setting ring 16 is fixed adjustably tothe lower end of pivot 6, as by a'screw, said setting ring being connected with the contact 13 through a torsional spring 17 (Fig. 7). This torsional spring 17 holds the contact 13 in such a position that a projecting portion 18 on the latter steadily bears against the screw 15. The stop motion lever 8 which is fixedly connected with the housing 7 is supported pivotally within a fork; 19 of an extension member 20 fixed adjust ably in a holder 21 (Fig. 6) of the machine. 8 is provided with an abutment pin 22, against which the feeler 1 is urged by a spring 23 connected, at its" ends, to the pin 22 and the feeler 1. A spring 24 is connected between the pin 22 and extension member 20. A pivot 25 (Fig. 7) is carried by the lever 8, and one end of a connecting rod 26 is adjustably supported in the other end 27 of rod 26 is widened and provided with a longitudinal slot 28. An abutment pin 29 is guided in slot 28, and a wire 31 is made to Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the general arrangedevice included in the machine of Figs. 1 and 2, but

shownonan enlarged scale,

bear lhereagainst by the action of a spring 30. The wire 31 and a needle latch opener 32 are secured in" a movable plate 33 which is supportedpivotally on a pin 34 carried by an upright 35. The abutment pin 29 is pressed into an arm 36 fixed at the top end of a vertical column 37. The. bottom end of column 37 carries a longer arm 38 with a pin 39. in which one of the ends of a connecting rod 40 is secured. The other end of rod 40 is guided in a pin 41 at the free end of a lever 42 and is secured by a setting'ring 43. The

lever 42 has a nose 44 and is pivotally supported on a carrier pin 45 of the machine frame not illustrated in the drawings. A spring 46 connected between the arm 36 and the upright 35- urges the nose 44 against the j surface of a well known control drum 47 of the machine The lever 3; so that the lever 42 is rocked by contact of nose 44 with a segment 48 fixed on the drum 47.

The pivot 49 connecting the well known frame of the apparatus 50 with the bracket 51 is provided with a profiled arm.52 adapted to act, at itsfree-end 53 on the widened end 27 of the connecting rod 26.

The needle butt guard device B (Fig. 9) consists of thewell known pusher member 54 supported pivotally on an eccentric pivot 55 carried by the upright 51. The free bent end 56 of the pusher member 54, when the latter is in the active position 111, extends beyond the lowered needles 4 as well as the respective sinkers which are not included in the drawing. The pusher member 54 has an elastic wire 57 fixed thereto, and the free end of wire 57 carries a hammer 58 which is adapted. to cooperate with a central electric interrupter device D. A connecting rod 60. is connected at one end to the pusher member 54 and is guided in a lever 59witha spring 61 mounted on rod 60 serving, in conjunction with alever gear (not illustrated in the drawing), for shifting the pusher member to its inactive position shown in broken linesat IVwhcre pusher member 54 remains during the knitting of certain parts, for example, the heel and toe, of the stocking.

The electric guard device C for the heel threads (Figs. 1. and 2) includes an L-shaped stationary wire contact 62 havinga' longer arm fixed adjustably in an insulating ring 63 on the holder 64 of the heel drawing off device. The contact 62 is adjusted in such manner that a wire probe 65 engages a shorter arm of the contact 62 only in the case of breakage of a heel thread or if the heel yarn spool is empty. The contact62 is sufliciently remote from the wire probe 65 so as to prevent any contact occurring during the normal operation of the machine in knitting the heel, at which time the wire probe 65 has a swinging motion imparted thereto determined by the length of the thread. The end of the longer arm of the contact 62 is connected through a current conductor 66 with the central electric interrupter device D.

The central electric interrupter device D (Fig. 4) acted upon by the individual independent guard mech-. anisms A, B, C consists of a plate member 67, in which two co-operating levers 70, 71 are suportcd pivotally on pins 68 and 69. The lever 70 has a relatively long arm 72 provided with an armature 73 and projecting beyond the plate-member 67. The lever 70 has a relatively short arm 74 with. a claw 75 at its free end cooperating with a claw 76 provided on an'arrn 77 of the lever 71. The lever. 71 has another arm 78 projecting beyond the-plate member 67. The mutual engagement of claws 75 and 76 is secured by two control springs 79, 80 which, at oneend, are connected to a hinge 81 and, at the other ends, areconnected to arm 74 of lever 70, and to. a third arm of lever 71, respectively. A holder 82 is fixed to the plate member 67 at a location next to the arm 77 of lever 71 and carries a square member forming a stationary electric contact 83 (Figs. 4 and 5.). An auxiliary electromagnet M (Fig. 4) is fixed to plate member 67 close to thearmature 73, and acts,,by way of anauxiliary relay RP (Fig. 2), on the electric motor. E of the ma:- chine. A pivot 84 extending through the center of 'the plate member. 67 andscrewed into a holder 85 carriesa covering bell-shaped part 86 (Fig. 3). The holder'85 is. fixed adjustably, on a vertical tubular member 87 of the machine provided at its top end with a signalling device F having a red lamp 88 (Figs. 1 and 2) connected with the auxiliary relay RP by way of a transformer Tr (Fig.1).

The mechanisms described above operate in the fol? lowingmanner:

During the normal knitting operation, for example, during knitting of the stocking heel without any defect occurring'on the needles, the stop motion device-Dis at rest, as shownin Fig. 4. The claws 75, 76 under; the

7 control. ciathe, springsq79. 80am; engaged so. that. the

armature 73 of the lever 70 is kept remote from the electromagnet M and the arm 77 of the lever 71 is held away from the electric contact 83. Thus, the low voltage circuit between the device D and the relay RP is interrupted (Fig. 10).

The feeler 1 of the organ'A is urged by the spring 23 against the pin 22 of the lever 8 to occupy its active position I (Fig. 6) where the end 2 of the feeler 1 is in close proximity to the needles 4 moving in the direction indicated by the arrow, without the end 2 being influenced by the latches 3. Through the effect of the torsional spring 17 (Fig. 7) connecting the setting ring 16 with the contact 13, the projecting part 18 of contact 13 is urged towards the screw 15 of the setting ring 16, while the projecting part 14 of the contact 13 is remote from the projecting part 10, of the contact 11 (Fig. 8). The above mentioned relative positions of the projecting parts'10, '14 (Fig. 8) is determined by the'position of the lever 8. (Fig. 6) connected through the rod.26 with pin 29, and, during guarding of the needle latches3 of the needles 4 by the feeler 1, the rod 26 permitsthc needle latch opener 32 to remain in its inactive position V when its book is outside the range of the needles. The opener 32 is moved to its inactive position V by the cooperation of the nose 44 of the lever 42 with thesurface of drum 47.

During the operation of the machine with the frame of the apparatus 50 in a horizontal position, the arm 52 assumes the inactive position VII, wherein its freecnd 53 does not act upon the widened end 27v of the connecting rod 26.

The pusher member 54 of the needle butt guard device B (Fig. 9) is held in its active position III through the efiect of the connecting rod 60 and thrust spring 61, while the hammer 58 of the wire 57 is remote from the arm 72 projecting beyond the bell 86 of the interrupter device D.

The position of the wire contact 62 of the heel yarn guard device C (Figs. 1 and 2) remains unaltered during knitting of the whole stocking. The circuit between the wire contact 62 and relay RP'as well as the electromagnet M of the interrupter device D is open (Fig. 10), and the lamp 88 of the signalling device F does not light.

When a defect occurs at any of the needles 4 with the respective-latch 3 in a lifted position IX (Fig. 6), the abutmentof the latch 3 against the end 2 causes lateral deflection of the feeler 1 from its active position I into its rest position II in opposition to the. actionv of the spring 23. Such deflection results likewise in an angular displacement of the pivot 6 and setting ring 16. The torsional spring 17 turns the contact 13 until its projecting part 14 is brought into engagement with the project-. ing part. 10 of they contact 11. A circuit is thereby closed, as can be seen in Fig; 10, from one pole of the current source 89. through the simple switch 90-91, rest contacts 92-93 of the auxiliary relay RP to the coil 94-95 of the electromagnet M, and, by a. conductor connected tothe coil 96-97 of. they auxiliary relay RP, to, the. feed transformer Tr The coil 94-95 of the electromagnet M is fed with voltage from the feed transformer Tr and thereby attracts the armature 73 (Fig; 4) of thelonger arm 72'of the lever 70 to swing the latter about the pivot 68 so that the claw 75 is disengaged from the claw 76 of the lever 71. Thereleasedlever 71 is angularly displaced by the action of the spring about the pivot 69 so that the arm 77 touches theelectric contact 83. Thereby voltage is fed from trans! former Tr to the coil 96-97 of the relay RP and the latter attracts its-armature to switch over itscontacts so. that the three movable contacts 92 engage the contacts 98, 99 and 100, respectively. Thus, the electric circuit for energizing the coils 101-102 of the contactors ST 8T ST is interrupted and the electric motor E of the machine is instantaneously stopped. Further, the switch: ing over of the contacts of theauxiliary, relay'RB' into vthe thrust spring 61.

the position 99-92 and l92, closes the circuit through the transformer Tr and the red lamp 88 of the signalling device F lights up. The opening of the normally closed contacts 93-92 interrupts the electric circuit to the electromagnet M so that the latter becomes inactive. The machine is re-started by pushing the arm 78 of the lever 71 of the interrupter device D in the direction towards the holder 85 (Fig. 4).

If the butt (not illustrated) of any needle is broken off. then the respective needle 4 (Fig. 9) is not drawn down by the lock (not illustrated) but continues to project above the level of the sinkers (not illustrated) and its top portion abuts against the free end 56 of the pusher member 54 which is in its active position III. Thus, the pusher member 54 is made to swing about the pivot 55 into its inactive position IV, but the member 54 .is immediatelyv returned to its active position III by During the return of member 54 from position IV to position III,the' wire 57 moves from position IV pastposition III to position X, by reason of the inertia of hammer 58, and, in position X, the hammer 58 strikes the arm 72 (Fig. 9) of the lever 70 (Fig. 4) of the interrupter device D. The action of hammer 58 on arm 72 causes the lever 78 to swing about the pivot 68 thus disengaging the claw75 from the claw 76 of the lever 71. Spring 80 then brings the arm 77 of the lever 71 against the electric contact 83, thus closing the low voltage circuit operating the relay RP controlling the electric motor E. On its striking the arm 72, the hammer 58 also strikes the bell 86. thus drawing the attention of the operator to the stoppage of the machine. Re-starting of the machine is achieved by pushing the arm 78 of the lever 71 in the direction toward the holder 85.

In theevent of a heel thread breaking or running out, the wire probe 65 is made to swing from position XI into postion XII (Fig. 2) where it comes into contact with the contact 62. Thus the circuit is closed, as can be seen in Fig. 10, from one pole of the current source 89 over the switch 103-1ti4, rest contacts 92-93 of relay RP to the coil 9495 of the electromagnet M of the interrupter device D. The further effect on the circuit of the auxiliary relay RP is the same as in the above described cases involving the contacts 77 and 83.

At the start of the knitting operation. when there is no knit ware on the needles and the latches 3 of the me 1 dles can assume the released position IX (Fig. 6), the

operation of the guard device A is not required, but, on the other hand, the operation of the needle latch opener 32 is indispensable. In order to enable the feeler 1 to move from its active position I into the inactive position H without being influenced by the needle latches and at the same time to enable the needle latch opener to move from its hitherto inactive position V to its active position VI, that is, in a direction into the needles, the drum 47 is displaced angularly in the direction of the arrow on Fig. 6 as to move the nose 44 of the lever 42 from the drum surface onto the segment 48. Thus the lever 42 is made to swing about the pivot 45, and, by way of the rod 40, the lower arm 38 and the column 37, to cause swinging of the upper arm 36 and pin 29 in a direction towards the feeler 1. The spring 30 maintains the contact of the wire 31 with the pin 29, so that the plate 33 with the opener 32 is likewise swung into its active position VI. The above described movement of the pin29 in transmitted to the rod 26 which deflects the lever 8 with pin 22 against the action of the spring 24, and the inactive position VII into its active position VIII and, during the raising of the frame 50 and turning of the pivot 49, acts on the widened end 27 of the rod 26. The rod 26 is thus shifted towards the guard device A causing the feeler 1 to swing into its inactive position II. During the above mentioned movement of the rod 26, its longitudinal slot 28 does not affect the pin 29 so that the opener 32 remains in its inactive position V.

.In addition to the guard device C above described for guarding the heel yarn it is possible to provide a further guard device guarding the normal threads which, in the pin 22 acts against feeler 1 to move the latter to its inactive position II. The relative position of the projecting parts 10, 14 (Fig. 8) of contacts 11, 13 is not changed during this action of the opener 32 and feeler 1 so that the circuit remains broken.

In order to permit the frame 50 (Fig. 6) of the apparatus to be raised and the feeler 1 to be swung into its inactive position II without moving the opener 32 to its inactive position V, for example, when changing a defective needle, the free end 53 of the arm 52 moves from its event of overtension, breakage or running out of a normal thread, would act independently on the other guard devices in the same manner on the central electric interrupter device D.

The arrangement according to the present invention is latch needles-for the manufacture of seamless tubular goods, but its application is in no way limited to this kind of goods and it can be utilized likewise in circular knitting machines for the manufacture of other knitware, such as, wearing apparel.

We claim:

1. In a circular knitting machine having an electric drive motor and a relay circuit for controlling the operation of the latter; the combination of needle latch guard means having normally open contacts which are closed in response to a defect at a needle with the latch in released position; yarn break detecting means having normally open contacts which are closed in response to a defect in the feeding of a related yarn; needle butt guard means having a hammer normally retained in an inoperative position and being actuated to an operative position upon breaking of a needle butt; and an interrupter device including a fixed contact, a pivoted contact lever, means yieldably urging said contact lever against said fixed contact, circuit means connecting said fixed contact and contact lever in said relay circuit to halt the operation of the electric drive motor upon engagement of said contact lever with said fixed contact, a pivoted latch lever engageable with said contact lever to hold the latter spaced from said fixed contact for normally permitting continued operation of the drive motor, said hammer acting mechanically against said latch lever to release the latter from said contact lever upon movement of said hammer to said operative position, a normally de-energized electro-magnet disposed adjacent said latch lever, an armature on said latch lever adapted to be attracted by said electromagnet to release said latch lever from said contact lever upon energization of said electro-magnet, and circuit means for energizing said electro-magnet having said normally open contacts of the needle latch guard means and of the yarn break detecting means interposed therein to energize said electro-magnet only upon closing of any of said normally open contacts.

2. In a circular knitting machine; the combination as in claim 1, wherein said contact lever and latch lever have cooperating claws which are mutually engageable to hold said contact lever spaced from said fixed contact. 7

3. In a circular knitting machine; the combinationas in claim 1, wherein said interrupter device further includes a plate member having said contact and latch levers pivotally mounted thereon, said contact lever has an arm extending beyond said plate member and by which said contact lever can be manually pivoted away from said fixed contact for re-engagement by said latch lever, and said latch lever has an arm extending beyond said plate member to be mechanically acted upon by said hammer.

4. In a circular knitting machine; the combination as in claim 3, wherein said interrupter device further has a bell mounted on said plate member to be struck by said hammer when the latter acts mechanically on said projecting arm of the latch member for providing an audible 7 .drive-motonanda relay circuit'for controlling'the-operationofthelatter; thecombination of an interruptordevice including a fixed contact, a pivoted contactlever, means yieldablyurging saidcontact lever against said fixed contact, circuit means connecting said fixed contact and contactlever in said relay circuit to halt theoperation-of the electric drive motor upon engagement of said contact lever with said fixed contact, a pivoted latchlever-engageable with said contact lever to hold the latter spaced from said fixed contact for normally permitting continued operation of the drive motor, an armature on said latch lever, and an electro-magnet adjacent said armature and operative, when energized, to attract said armaturefor angularly displacing said latch lever so as to release said:contact lever for engagement with said fixedcontact; mechanical guard means operative, in-response to a failure in a related function of the knitting machine, to act mechanically on said latch lever so as to release said con tact-lever; electrical guard means having normally open contacts'which are closed in response to a failure in arelated function of the knitting machine; and circuit means for energizing said electro-magnet of the interruptor device and having said normally open contacts interposed therein so-that said electro-magnet is energized to release said latch lever from said contact lever when said normally open contacts are closed.

'References (lited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,251,460 Appleton Jan. 1, 1918 2,140,087 Newell Dec. 13, 1938 2,694,305 Lafeuillade Nov. 16, 1954 2,733,308, Vossen Jan. 31, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 506,806 Great Britain June 2, 1939 

